Star Wars: Jedi Chronicles: Changing Winds Part 2
by Censes Fade
Summary: I DONT OWN STAR WARS ALL CREDIT GOES GOES TO GEORGE LUCAS! This is the 2nd book in Shain's fight against Censes. Please feel free to comment and write a review. 2 Generes do not discribe this. its Comidy, Friendship, Spritual, Adventure and more!


**Star Wars: The Jedi Chronicles**

Shadow Sith Part 2

Changing Winds

By: Brandon Purinton

Chapter One

Faith and Trust

Shain has just left for earth and is never coming back. Now it's down to Josh Sietsma, Eve, Anthony, and DJ, with their padawans - Jacklinea and Cassandra - to find the rest of the twenty-one Earthlings and restore them to their previous state in less than a year. Everyone spent the night in the Jedi temple on Dantooine. It is now a Sunday on earth and Shain lands just in time for youth group. Shain gets home and doesn't look the greatest.

Bethany is walking down the hall way toward the Pulse room and spots Shain walking towards the doors through the glass.

**Bethany Lindsey:** (not believing what she's seeing) Brandon? (yells down the hallway) Brandon's here! (she opens the door for Shain.) Brandon, you're home!

**Shain:** (depressed and not caring) Yeah… I guess I am.

**Bethany Lindsey:** What are you doing back? You don't usually come home till holidays.

**Shain: **(distracted) Huh? Oh, yeah. I don't really want to talk about it.

**Bethany Lindsey:** Are you ok? 'Cause…

Ashley and Valerie come down the hall way and Valerie tackles Shain with a hug. They get up and Joel Francis gives Shain a noogie.

**Joel Francis:** (putting his arm up over Shain's shoulders) How ya doing, buddy?

**Valerie Punt:** B-rad, I don't care if you don't like hugs. (gives Shain a hug)

**Ashley Punt: **Where's everyone else?

**Shain: **Uh… back in Star Wars galaxy…

**Ashley Punt: **You mean you came back by yourself?

**Shain: **Yeah.

**Mickayla Lewis:** Um, hello? Who is this?

**Ashley Punt:** Oh, sorry, Mickayla; this is Brandon. He's a Jedi, along with a bunch of other people that come to back home to visit time to time.

Mickayla doesn't believe her, until she looks outside and sees Shain's ship.

**Mickayla Lewis:** Oh, ok. Hey, that's a cool space ship! What's its name?

**Shain:** I don't know. I never named my ship.

**Mickayla Lewis:** You should name it "Fluffy"!

Everyone laughs except Shain, who manages to force a stiff grin.

**Shain:** Ha-ha, yeah, sure…

**Austin Perry:** Brandon, are you ok? You don't look so good.

**Shain:** I'll be fine. (TGD walks up to Shain)

**TGD Strope:** High-five!

Shain gives him a wimpy high five.

**TGD Strope: ** What was that?

**Shain:** What?

**TGD Strope:** That was a sad excuse for a high-five.

**Shain:** Sorry.

He gives TGD a better high-five. Pastor Jamie walks up and smiles at Shain.

**Jamie Saunders: **Hey, buddy! How've ya been? Haven't seen you since the news last week with the other Jedi. Speaking of which, where are they? Ya usually bring them all in with ya.

**Shain: **They're all back in the Star Wars universe. They went back.

**Ashley Punt:** How come you didn't go back with them?

**Shain: **I did... but I came home and I'm here to stay.

Everyone looks around, not believing what they just heard.

**Pr. Jamie Saunders:** (trying to end the silence and clear the room so he can talk with Shain) OK, guys it's time to get started.

Everyone but Jamie and Shain walks back to the Pulse room.

**Jamie: **(to Shain) We can talk later, ok?

That night, Jamie speaks about faith and trust in fellow believers and God. The subject cuts through Shain like a butter-knife through butter. He doesn't know what to think. After youth group, Pastor Jamie takes Shain back to his office.

**Jamie Saunders:** What's eating ya, buddy?

Shain explains what's happening in the Star Wars galaxy and by time he's done, there are tears in his eyes and he is doing everything he can not to cry like a little girl.

**Jamie Saunders:** You said you have the ability to save them from these crystals that are controlling them, right?

**Shain:** Yeah.

**Jamie Saunders:** You trust that God is good, right?

**Shain:** Yeah.

**Jamie Saunders:** And you know without a shadow of a doubt that God is in control, correct?

**Shain:** I guess.

**Jamie Saunders:** Guess? There's no guessing with God; either God _is_ in control, or he isn't. I know the answer - do you?

**Shain:** Yes.

**Jamie Saunders:** Then why are you here?

**Shain:** Because I can't handle the fact that I am fighting my friends and family. I hate seeing my friends get killed, even if I have this stupid crystal.

**Jamie Saunders:** God gave you that "stupid crystal" for a purpose and that purpose is just for this time in your life right now. I've met all the kids that went with you and I know you're not the oldest. There are at least five kids older than you that have the potential to lead that group... but they chose to trust you and your leadership abilities. And right now, you're not just letting your friends down, but you're letting that galaxy down and you're quitting on God. Philippians 4:13 says "I can-

**Shain:** "-do all things though Christ who strengthens me."

**Jamie Saunders:** (nods) Can you? Do you believe that with all your heart? I don't think you do, 'cause if you did, you wouldn't be within light years of me or anyone but your family and friends that are in trouble.

**Shain:** (pauses for a moment) But _fighting_ them?

**Jamie Saunders:** (grinning) The way I see it, it's an intervention.

Shain looks at the clock; it's already 9:30.

**Jamie Saunders:** It's getting late. Go home and get some rest, then go back there and save my teens.

**Shain:** Thanks, Jamie. I'm not sure if I'm going back yet, but I'll think about it tonight

Shain goes down to the base under his house and sits and thinks for hours about what Jamie said before going to bed, trying to decide whether or not to go back... but he finally decides against it. 

Chapter Two

Finish the Fight

A week has gone by since Shain went home, and almost everyone has mostly recovered from their battles. Josh Sietsma, Jordin, Anthony, DJ, Eve, and Jacklinea are on the Dantooine system, planning their next move.

**Josh S.: **Alright everyone, it's time we start our mission.

**DJ: **Josh is right. Shain isn't coming back; we need to move forward and stay focused.

**Eve: **What about Cassandra? She hasn't said anything since Shain left. Who's she going to go with?

**Jacklinea: **I say we leave her here. She's not tough enough to handle one person leaving. Besides, we're supposed to be able to let go of our friends and family.

**Eve:** None of us will ever just forget about Shain! He's not dead; he just can't take the stress of everything.

**Jacklinea: **He's weak, and doesn't deserve to be here!

**Eve: **Then _none_ of us do! I don't know about you, but the rest of us are scared out of our minds right now. You should be too!

Everyone else, at this point, is standing around not knowing whether they should walk away or interject.

**Jacklinea: **Fear and not letting go of attachments leads to the dark side!

**Eve: **Like _you_ have room to talk? You're _full_ of anger, hatred, and fear! I don't know what your problem is, but you need to get over it!

**DJ:** Oh-kay! That's it! You two need a break! Cut it out now!

**Josh S.:** DJ, we two are going after your sister. Eve, you can go after Jacob and Jordan. And Anthony… you wanna go after Andrew?

**Anthony:** Sure.

**Jordin:** What about us, Master?

**Josh S.: **I am sending you to go talk Shain into coming back. Stay no longer than one month. Cassandra, you can go with him, if you want.

Cassandra says nothing.

**Jordin:** I guess... she's coming?

**Josh S.: **I guess.

**Anthony:** We'll meet back up here in a few days?

**Eve:** Sure thing.

Everyone climbs into their ships and head off their separate ways. 

Chapter Three

Willie

Josh Sietsma lands out in the rocky part of Tatooine right next to the dune sea. Josh climbs out of of his yellow starfighter. Within moments, the desert heat starts to burn Josh's skin. A few minutes later, sweat starts rolling down his face.

**Josh S.: **(yelling at the top of his lungs.) _Willie_! Come out here!

A figure comes rolling in on a giant sand wave. The figure is completely covered in sand. The figure and wave stop about nine hundred yards out, forming a solid wall of sand.

**Willie:** There's no way you'll ever beat me. I'm far more powerful than you will ever be, now that you don't have Master's control.

**Josh S.:** I wouldn't count on it, Willie. I'm going to finish this, and you're going to help us save the galaxy.

**Willie:** Dream on. I'm going to bury you so deep in the sand, you'll never feel the warmth of the sun.

(Josh opens his two green light sabers.)

**Josh S.:** Why don't you let your sabers do the talking?

**Willie:** All right, soldier-boy. You're done.

Josh jumps down off the plateau and starts walking toward Willie. Willie jumps into the air and flattens the sand, making the terrain smooth and even. Josh starts to run on a dead sprint. He flips his right light saber around so it's reversed. Willie motions with his hand for the sand to open up underneath Josh. Josh jumps with a three-sixty front flip just before the hole opens up. He lands and the sand gives out underneath him and he falls into a hole. Willie covers the hole with sand. Willie laughs, thinking the fight is over.

Josh bursts through the sand. Then he Force-repulses the surrounding sand and throws the saber in his right hand at Willie. Willie forms a sand bubble around himself that's about six feet thick. The light saber sticks into the bubble just short of Willie's head, then slides down, just missing his body. A glass ring forms around the crack the lightsaber made from sliding down.

Josh has landed while Willie fends off the lightsaber. Josh grabs the hilt of his saber sticking out from the sand bubble with a reverse grip and slides it down to the ground. He pulls it out and cuts the bubble in half, then uses the Force to throw the top half off, expecting half of Willie to be inside. To his surprise, he finds only more sand.

Willie has opened a hole up in the back and slipped out the back side of his sand shield. His sand armor makes the perfect camouflage. Josh never sees Willie coming. Willie hits him with a hard sand wall, knocking Josh over and bloodying his nose, while sending his lightsabers out of his hands. Josh tries to flip up to his feet, but Willie bends the sand to grab his hands and Josh falls headfirst into the hardened sand. Willie walks over to him while taking out his lightsaber; he stands by Josh's feet. Willie's sand armor bends away from his face.

**Willie:** You should have never betrayed us.

Josh uses the Force to throw sand in Willie's eyes, then rolls backwards, slipping his wrist out of the sand. Unfortunately, the sand has no effect on Willie's sight. Josh uses the Force to push Willie's legs out from underneath him. Willie falls face first into the sand. The Dark Jedi bends the sand to stand him back up. Josh Force-pulls his lightsabers to him and puts one on his belt, then taunts Willie with a "come-get-some" attitude.

Josh puts away the saber he picked back up and Willie opens his teal lightsaber. Josh is holding his lightsaber with two hands off to the right side of him. His first strike comes up to the right of him. The sabers clash and bounce off each other. Willie pulls his saber down to the low right side. Josh spins around to his left, locking his lightsaber with Willie's, and continuing around, slamming the lightsabers to the ground. Josh punches Willie in the head, though since the mind-controlled ex-Jedi is covered in sand armor, this does no good. Josh cries out in pain.

Willie laughs. A wave of sand comes out of nowhere with one swift motion of Willie's hand, sending Josh into the air, then back down to the ground. Josh tries to flip up onto his feet from his back but his hands get grabbed by the sand and he goes nowhere.

**Josh S.: **Shoot...

**Willie: **(walking toward Josh) You make this too easy. This is your end. You should not have given up your power to become weak. I see no benefit in rebelling.

Josh struggles to get up but can't get his hands free. The more he struggles, the more the sand cuts him. Once Willie is standing over him, he uses the Force to take Willie's legs out from underneath him. He flips up to his feet and picks up his lightsabers which had fallen on the ground. Willie uses the sand to start spinning him as he plants his hand on the ground, lifting his body up and kicking Josh in the face. The millions of tiny grains feel like sandpaper tearing across his skin.

Josh takes a few steps back, then bounces right back at Willie, striking him from the right side. The sand is forming back up to protect Willie faster than the lightsaber can cut through it. Josh holds it there for a few moments, then slashes down Willie's arm and his armor turns into glass. Josh backs up. Willie grabs the glass and throws it toward Josh. Josh takes one step to the side and the glass misses.

A fist of sand comes up from the ground, hitting Josh in the chin. More fists start coming - Josh starts hacking at them with both his lightsabers, but they continue hitting him. After a while, Willie brings a sandstorm upon Josh. The sandstorm comes through and starts tearing on him. He curls up in a ball covering his head and hands so the sand doesn't tear him to pieces. Josh lays in the sand storm for twenty minutes before Willie decides to see if Josh is still alive.  
He calms the sand, and then starts walking though the desert where he last saw Josh. Josh is buried a few inches beneath the sand, but he feels Willie step on him. He waits for a few seconds after the extra weight leaves, then he climbs up to the surface to sneak-attack Willie, but to his surprise, he comes out to a face painfully full of sand. Josh looks almost like Willie himself, because the sand is sticking to where his skin was torn away.

**Willie:** Did you really think you could sneak up on me? I feel every grain of sand's movement. Everywhere you walk, I feel. I could tell you the exact movement of every dewback, bantha and sand person on this planet. Nothing gets by me.

Josh is in a lot of pain, tired, and growing very weary.

**Josh S.:** Yeah? How about this?

Josh uses the Force to pick up one of the glass shards from Willie's armor, and then throws it at Willie. The shard breaks though his armor and hits him in the right shoulder just above the heart, sticking there like a knife blade. Willie hollers in pain, and then pulls the glass out of his shoulder.

Josh realizes that he can beat his opponent with the glass. He slashes his sabers around a few more times, crystallizing the sand, then one by one, throws them at Willie. One of the shards hits right next to his wind pipe. Slowly, Willie pulls out the glass "knives". Josh waits until his body heals, then uses Force lightning on Willie, turning his sand armor into glass. Josh puts his lightsabers on his belt, then pulls out a tiny lightsaber tool and cuts air holes where Willie's nose is. Josh then uses the Force to lift up what is now a glass statue of Willie and walks him over to where his starship is waiting.

**Josh S.: **I hope I cut that rope...

Josh picks up Willie and drops him feet first on the floor. The glass suit shatters and the dark crystal falls to the ground. Josh puts Willie in the ship, and then crams himself in the small one-man starfighter.

**Josh S.:** Man, we need bigger ships.

Just as Josh starts the ship, he has a vision of DJ and his sister Aria on the planet Felucia. Josh flies to Mos Eisley Space port to trade the lightning glass from the fight and his ship for a bigger ship with three cargo bays. He takes Willie and his ship back to the Rebellion. Josh lays down the unconscious Willie as carefully as he can. Willie wakes up a few hours later, and then wakes up Josh. Willie looks at Josh, whose nose is swollen as well as his hand, with skin missing everywhere.

**Willie:** (shocked) Did I really do this to you? I remember the fight but... wow. I didn't know I was capable of this.

**Josh S.:** Don't sweat it, bro. That wasn't your power and that wasn't you. I'll be alright after a little time in the bacta tank.

**Willie:** Ah, about an hour or two in the tank will do you some good. I'm surprised Shain sent you to get me, I thought Shain would have came to get me back himself.

Josh looks away.

**Willie:** What?

**Josh S.:** Shain left a few weeks back.

**Willie:** What do you mean he left? Left where?

**Josh S.:** He went back to earth. He said he is never coming back. I sent my padawan Jordin and Cassandra Frail back for Shain a few days ago.

**Willie:** (hurt) If he wants to abandon us in our darkest hour, then I say we let him.

**Josh S.:** Do you have any idea what kind of stress was on him? I've been trying to keep things together for the past few weeks. It's hard, and not only that - Shain's a people-person. You, of all people, should know that. It was killing him having to fight the ones he had protected for years. You, more than any of us, should understand why he decided to leave.

**Willie:** (angrily) He should have stayed. He chickened out, instead of staying and saving the ones he cared about. If he really cared about us, he would have stayed.

Willie storms out of the room. Josh goes into the bacta tank for a few hours. 

Chapter Four

Aria

DJ lands on the surface of the planet Felucia. He spends three days on the planet's surface. On the fourth morning, as he is asleep, the ground starts shaking. He wakes up and it stops. He looks around and it still seems pretty dark around him. Then he hears a familiar voice that he would really rather not hear first thing in the morning.

**Aria:** Good morning, little brother. I hope you had sweet dreams.

DJ looks up from where he is laying and there stands a Bull Rancor towering over him, with his sister on its head. She is clad in her usual denim jeans, dark red sleeveless tunic, and white hooded cloak. At a slight motion of her hand, the Rancor smacks its claw down where DJ is lying. He quickly rolls out of the way and stands up.

**DJ:** Couldn't you have just used something shiny to get me out of bed, like you normally do? Or bacon... Bacon would be good.

**Aria:** This isn't a game, DJ. And you just made things harder on yourself.

The earth starts to shake and out of the giant, neon-colored trees and flowers come numerous amounts of Rancor, Bull Rancor, and Acklay.

**DJ: **Aria, trust me when I say you don't want to do this.

**Aria:** (coldly) You don't know what I want. You're not me. Kill him.

The animals start to close in.

**DJ:** (a little worried) Hey, can't we talk about this? You know, brother-to-sister?

**Aria:** Tempting, but no.

DJ opens his V-shaped orange lightsaber. Suddenly, there is an explosion and several of the animals go flying. Aria and DJ both look up and there is Josh Sietsma in a War Bird starfighter.

**Aria:** (enraged) No!

**DJ:** (relieved and excited) Yes!

DJ's comlink beeps and he answers it.

**Josh S.: **Wohoo!Alright, let's get your sister back!

**DJ:** Help me from the sky. I'll take the ground. She'll run out of animals, eventually.

Josh starts shooting down the animals and DJ is taking out the "smaller" things. They have been fighting for a while - Josh has run out of rockets and DJ is beat.

**Aria: **(mockingly) What's the matter, little brother? Did you fall down?

Suddenly there is a crash - Josh's left engine is down. Josh calls DJ over the com.

**Josh S.: **She had a Felucian bird take out my engine. I gotta set her down. I'll be right out to help you out. I'm going to set up the gun as auto turrets for a little help.

The ship lands and Josh runs out side to help. The two fight for a little while.

**Josh S.: **This isn't working. We need to take out your sister!

**DJ: **I'm on it.

DJ jumps on the back of a rancor, and starts jumping from animal to animal, working his way towards his sister.

**Josh S.:** DJ, no!

DJ finally makes it to the Shadow Sith. He jumps up from the ground to the head of the bull rancor. Aria turns on her pink lightsabers. Before his feet touch the rancor's head, as he is flying over Aria's head, she Force-slams him into the ground below. Then she jumps down off the rancor and stabs him center chest. The next thing she knows, her crystal is being ripped from her neck. Just before she passes out she looks down and sees DJ lying there.

**DJ: **(with his last breath) Hannah... don't... blame.. yo..ur..ssse..lf...

Aria falls to the ground. Josh is in disbelief he slips the dark crystal into his pocket. The animals are out cold everywhere and the auto turrets stop firing.

**Josh S.:** (in shock that his vision came true) I couldn't stop it...

Josh buries DJ, and then starts fixing the engine so he can get them off the system. It starts to get dark. That night Josh forgot to shut the door to the ship. Around midnight someone comes into the ship. Josh is almost asleep when a blaster is pressed up against his back.

**Cut Lawquane: **(quietly, trying not to wake Aria, not knowing she's unconscious) If I were you, stranger, I'd be very careful about what I said and did.

Josh's eyes are wide open now. He recognizes that it's a clone trooper's voice.

**Josh S. **Now, now let's not do anything irrational, trooper. What are your orders?

**Cut Lawquane: **Get up and walk outside. Don't turn around; don't try and wake up the girl.

**Josh S.: **(walking toward the door) She's unconscious, anyway.

They get outside. Josh has his back away from Cut and his hands up.

**Cut Lawquane: **Turn around slowly.

Josh turns around.

**Cut Lawquane: **So what did ya do, boy? Drug her? Kidnap her to sell as a slave? What?

**Josh S.: **No way, man! She can kick most boys' butts! She's a Jedi and so am I.

**Cut Lawquane: **Prove it.

Josh pulls the crystal out of his pocket with the Force and puts it back in, knowing anyone who was taken over by Censes knows about the crystals.

**Cut Lawquane:** Alright. (Lowers gun) What are you doing way out here? I heard the shooting earlier but my wife wouldn't let me leave.

**Josh S.:** I came out here to help my friend save this planet from Censes's rule. He died trying to save his sister - the girl in there - and my ship was damaged.

**Cut Lawquane:** Why don't you bring her out to my place and we can help you out? And tomorrow, we can fix your ship. Trust me, I know how uncomfortable ship bunks are.

**Josh S.:** Right now? In the middle of the night?

**Cut Lawquane:** Sure. She can't get better, laying on a hard bunk like that. I don't live that far from here; we can throw her on the sidecar and you on the back.

**Josh S.:** Ok, let's go.

Josh uses the Force to set her down carefully in the sidecar and they stay the night at Cut's house. The next morning Josh comes down for breakfast. They talk for a while about the Clone War and what happened with the orb, Luke Skywalker and other such things.

**Josh S.:** Hey, can I ask you something?

**Cut Lawquane:** Sure, go ahead.

**Josh S.:** Why did ya move here from Saleucami?

**Cut Lawquane:** Well, that's quite simple, actually. Back in the Clone Wars, we decided to come here right after Captain Rex left. It wasn't safe having someone in the army knowing where we lived. I mean, I knew my brother could keep his word, but still... It was a safety precaution. Now, suppose we go fix that engine of yours, shall we?

**Josh S.:** Sounds like a plan to me.

The two go out for several hours and fix the ship's engine.

**Josh S.:** Thanks for your help, man. I'd still be working on this, if not for you.

**Cut Lawquane:** No problem, kid. Come back any time for a visit.

**Josh S.:** I will.

**Cut Lawquane:** I'll be back with your friend in the sidecar.

**Josh S.: **Thank you.

Cut goes and comes back in about twenty minutes with Aria. By time he gets back Josh has both Star Fighters on the ship. The two say their goodbyes and Josh gets Aria back onto the Rebellion. 

Chapter Five

Another

Within a few hours of being on the ship Aria wakes up.

**Aria:** Where am I? Are we enemies? Where's DJ?...

**Willie:** Slow down, Aria. It's us. Take a deep breath.

Aria takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

**Josh S.:** You're on The Rebellion. I pulled your crystal and DJ, um... uh...

**Aria: **(worried sick) Where is my brother?

**Willie: **(reluctantly)He's gone...

**Aria: **What do you mean, "he's gone"?

**Josh S.:** He died trying to save you.

**Aria:** (not sure what's going on) Didn't Shain heal him?... Like he always does?

**Josh:** He left about six weeks ago for earth and he took his crystals with him.

Aria gasps and pulls her hands up and covers her face with tears in her eyes.

**Aria: **(starting to sob) No... no, no, no, no, no!

**Josh S.:** I'm sorry, Aria. He was trying to save you. Do you remember what he told you just before he passed?

**Aria:** No.

**Josh S.: **He told you not to blame yourself.

**Willie:** This isn't your fault. You weren't yourself.

Aria gets up and runs out of the room, shouting for Shain. Josh starts after her.

**Josh.:** He's not here, Aria! He's gone...

**Aria: **(screaming) I don't believe you! (into the hall) _Brandon_!

Aria searches the entire ship and doesn't find him. Finally, she gives up. A few hours later, the boys go to see Aria, who is in her quarters. The boys knock and she permits them to enter.

**Josh S.:** Hey, Aria, we're going to go help out Eve and Anthony. Let's go.

**Aria:** I'm not going.

The boys look at each other.

**Willie: **(understanding) Alright, we'll leave you here.

**Aria:** I'm not staying either. I'm going to search for the orb that brought all the Jedi and Sith back and brought us here. (holding back tears) That's the only thing that can save my brother now.

**Josh S.: **Aria, you can't go. We already _had_ one person leave.

**Aria:** Well, I'm sorry. But I'm going to get my brother back, one way or another. _Then_ I'll come back and we'll raze Censes to the ground. No matter what it takes.

**Willie:** Why not get Shain?

**Aria:** Two reasons: one, his crystals can't save someone who's already dead. Two, (eyes blazing) if I see him, the temptation to thrust my saber through his heart might be too strong.

**Willie:** Alright, but be safe, Aria.

Aria picks up a tan bag, puts it over her shoulders, and then heads for the hanger bay.

**Josh S. **Well, that's three we've lost to this war.

**Willie:** I know exactly why with Aria, but I can't believe Shain left. I'm going to get some rest. I'm still a little tired from that whippin' you gave me.

**Josh S.:** Alright, get some sleep. I'm going to head out to see if anyone needs some help. 

Chapter Six

Shain

Cassandra and Jordin finally get to earth after traveling for several hours. They land their ships in the hanger underneath Shain's house. They walk down the narrow hallway, which abruptly opens up into a humongous narthex. It has two levels and looks like the Jedi archive hallway... just without the archives. At the end of the hall, there is a narrow passage, then a huge, blue holographic computer screen. There are columns going down the hall to support the upper level.

**Jordin:** (shouting) Hey, Shain, are you in here?

Cassandra jumps a bit. Shain's voice is heard but he isn't seen.

**Shain:** Who's down here?

**Jordin:** It's Jordin and Cassandra.

Shain comes out from the right hall way covered with grease from working on the 1969 Camaro he just bought.

**Shain:** What're you kids doing here?

Cassandra runs down the hall and hugs Shain.

**Cassandra:** (tears in her eyes) You have to come back. Please... you're the only family I have.

**Shain:** Family...

**Jordin:** Shain, we need you now.

**Shain:** I can't.

**Jordin:** You believe in God, don't you?

**Shain:** Yes.

**Jordin:** You believe He is sovereign?

**Shain:** Yes...

**Cassandra:** How about "God never gives you more than you can handle"?

Shain says nothing and lowers his head, realizing where this is going.

**Jordin:** How about "you can do all things though Christ, who strengthens you"?

**Cassandra:** How can you believe He is sovereign if you doubt that He doesn't give you more than you can handle?

**Jordin:** God put you in charge of the group for a reason, and now He's testing you. Look, bro, you got a family out there and you left them hanging, 'cause you were scared of what you thought God couldn't do. You really gonna leave them sitting in a galaxy where Satan thrives? Is that fair to them? God wants YOU to retake that galaxy for Him!

**Shain:** (frustrated and confused) I don't know! I just know I'm not coming back! Ok? Now get out of here!

Jordin looks at Shain in disgust and Cassandra starts crying.

**Jordin:** We looked up to you! Every single one of us! I'll bet you Jacklinea, Daviel and Sara do, too. You've let each and every one of them down, _including_ your family. I hope you can live with that... Come on Cassandra. Let's leave him here. We can talk Dudley into coming back...

The two padawans turn around and walk out. Shain turns around and leans up against the wall. He runs his hands though his hair. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly

**Shain**: Should I really go back?

Cassandra and Jordin walk down to Dudley's house. Before they even get to they even get around the cars parked in the backyard, Dudley comes out the back door.

**Dudley:** Sup, Jordin; how's it goin'? What you guys doin' out here?

**Jordin:** Hey, not so good. Shain came home and isn't comin' back. We just came over from his place and well... It wasn't good.

**Dudley:** You can't possibly expect me to believe that Shain, out of all of us that went to the Star Wars universe eight years ago, came home and isn't coming back.

**Jordin:** Well, if you were Shain under the pressure he was under, I think you would cave too.

**Dudley:** What is going on, anyways?

**Jordin:** This guy Censes took over the whole galaxy in like twenty minutes and he used the whole group besides Shain and Anthony to do it.

**Dudley:** Then how are you here?

**Jordin:** Shain freed us. There's at the least two of your group saved so far, not counting anyone born in the star wars galaxy.

**Dudley:** Well, who all does he have?

**Jordin:** My master, and Eve so far at the least. At the most, Willie, Aria and DJ.

**Dudley:** Shain needs to quit bein' a pansy and get over himself.

**Jordin:** Cassandra and I already tried to get him to come with us. I even tried scripture, but he's not comin'.

**Dudley:** Fine, let him be a sissified-mother-blubber-sandwich - we can do it ourselves. Let's go. I'll give you a ride to your ship. Just one sec; let me get mine.

He runs inside and hits a button, opening the hanger bay door for his ship. There lies a Dark Phoenix. The ship has two engines on the left and right side of the ship with wings sticking out the side and the back of the engines. The middle of the ship is thinner and more aerodynamic. Dudley has it painted chrome black.

**Dudley:** She's only a one-man fighter but if you hold tight next to the engines and I fly slow, I can give you a ride to your ships.

**Cassandra:** (timidly) Thank you, Dudley.

The two hop on the front of the wings with their legs hanging down and Dudley gets in. Dudley flies slowly over the jumps. Before he can get over to the road to land, Jordin has pulled his legs up and rolled backwards, letting himself fall into the wooded area below. Cassandra waits for Dudley to land. She hops off the wing and runs into the woods where they hid their ships. The three of them head off to help their friends. 

Chapter Seven

Andrew

Anthony has spent the last week on Telos IV. He has checked the Jedi temple and the snowy area so far. Right now, he is in the valley when suddenly something big whizzes by him, knocking him down. Anthony looks around, trying to find what hit him. He stands up and gets hit from the opposite direction.

Anthony gets up and pulls out his lightsaber but doesn't turn it on. He times it perfectly, so just before Andrew hits him again, he hits Andrew in the nose with his hilt. Andrew flips around and lands on his stomach, breaking his nose. Andrew wipes his face off. There is a flash of darkness and the bleeding stops. Andrew looks at Anthony for a moment, then darts toward him. Andrew turns on his purple lightsaber as Anthony activates his yellow staff.

Andrew comes at Anthony with inhuman agility, striking left and right. Anthony is defending with everything he's got. He quickly realizes that a staff won't cut it. Andrew strikes low and misses. Anthony follows Andrew's recoil then spins around. While his back is toward his opponent, he uses the quick release to pull apart his lightsabers. Anthony starts attacking, one arm after another.

Then he switches up his attack pattern and starts spinning. Andrew runs away with a gust of wind. Anthony spins his sabers back to the front hand positions. He is still for a moment, waiting for Andrew. Andrew comes flying up behind Anthony and starts running at supersonic speed, creating a vortex. Anthony tries to break free, but he is knocked back into the vortex. He starts gasping for air.

Suddenly they both go flying. Andrew flips to his feet to see Willie standing a few yards away. Anthony is still trying to breathe. Andrew charges Will, who just stands still. At the right moment, he ducks to the right, opens his teal lightsaber and slashes Andrew's legs. Andrew drops and starts to tumble. Before he stops tumbling, he is back on his legs, completely healed. He turns around and the two step into each other. Their sabers clash, both pushing with everything they've got.

Andrew easily overpowers Willie, because he is so much bigger and older. Willie leans back a little bit and flips his legs up above his head. With Andrew pushing down on Willie he flips around Andrew. Willie's lightsaber is now on top holding Andrew's lightsaber to the ground. His crystal is dangling from his neck. Willie jerks his lightsaber up in a s-shape cutting off his crystal. Willie catches the crystal before it hits Andrew's lightsaber. Andrew passes out and his saber shuts off. Anthony walks up next to Will.

**Anthony:** Dude, that was sick!

**Willie:** Yeah. Now we got to get him in his ship and set the auto pilot to take him to The Rebellion.

**Anthony:** Yeah. Hey, thanks for coming and helping me out.

**Willie:** No problem.

The boys get Andrew in his ship and they fly back to The Rebellion. They meet up with Josh in the medical bay. They drop Andrew off for recovery and they turn to leave medical bay and there stands Cassandra, Jordin, and Dudley.

**Josh S.:** Dudley! I wasn't expecting to see you.

**Dudley:** I wasn't expecting to see me either... wait a second. Never mind. Jordin told me what's goin' on and by the looks of things, we're trying not to hurt each other?

**Josh S.:** Exactly. (he looks at Cassandra and his padawan) Couldn't convince Shain to come back huh?

Cassandra lowers her head.

**Willie:** (angered) You sent them to get _him _back?

**Josh S.:** Yes, I sent them. He is the most capable to lead.

**Willie:** No, 'cause if he was, he would _be here!_ Wouldn't he?

**Jordin:** Both of you out! Find somewhere else to be!

Josh and Willie go their separate ways. Dudley stands there, a little confused as to what just happened..

**Jordin:** Long story short, the group isn't right without Shain. 

Chapter Eight

Double Trouble

Eve and her padawan land on Null. Null is a planet much like Yavin 4 and Earth. It has lots of trees, ravines and wildlife. Dooku's castle was here during the Clone Wars. The girls hop out of their ships. The planet smells like earth, with all the trees and flowers. The sun is out, with hardly any clouds in the sky. They wander away from their ships. After spending a few days on the planet, Eve spots a figure in the trees that looks like her mother. She starts to run after it.

**Eve:** Mom!

Her padawan runs after her as fast as she can.

**Jacklinea: **Eve, no!

Jacklinea tackles her to the ground. They slide a few feet before stopping. The figure continues, then turns around and looks back at them before disappearing into the trees. Eve saw that it was her mother.

**Eve:** What are you doing?

**Jacklinea:** That was a trap! The twins are nearby.

**Eve:** That wasn't a trap; that was my mother!

They stand up.

**Jacklinea:** Oh, yeah?

Jacklinea throws a rock straight down from where she was standing and it falls though the ground as if it wasn't there. Eve look confused... then the ground fizzles and changes into a ravine. Eve is shocked.

**Eve:** I can't believe I bloody fell for that!

Katy runs up to them.

**Katy:** Eve! Jacklinea! You're alive!

**Eve:** (puzzled) Katy...? I thought you were on Coruscant?

**Jacklinea: **(suspiciously) Under Censes's control?

**Katy:** I was! Shain came back and saved me!

**Eve:** (excited) Shain? He's back?

Suddenly, Jacklinea draws her lightsaber and cuts down Katy.

**Eve:** No! Jacklinea!

The image fizzles away into nothing.

**Jacklinea:** She was a fake.

**Eve:** (confused) How? How did you know she was fake?

**Jacklinea:** I just knew.

**Eve:** So? Does that mean Shain didn't come back?

**Jacklinea:** Probably not.

**Eve:** Well, that's twice you've saved my life in about a minute. We need to be _really_ careful here.

Suddenly something hits the two of them in the back of the head.

**Eve:** (as she's going down) Krudchack.

**Jacob and Jordan:** Yeah!

They give each other a high five, and drag them off to a cave in one of the ravines. The cave is filled with glowing orange, yellow and red crystals you would use to make a lightsaber A few minutes later, Eve wakes up. Her head is throbbing from the twins' blow. She walks out of the cave. She's having a hard time keeping her mind off her parents now, after seeing the fake image of her mother. She is not outside for a minute when she is stabbed in the back by Jacob's lightsaber. She dies. Then she wakes up in a cold sweat back in the cave.

**Eve:** (thankful) It was just dream.

She walks outside and sees the twins standing next to two adults who are kneeling down looking the opposite direction. The adults look curiously like her parents. The twins grin and kill them. They fall to the ground - it _is _her parents!

**Eve:** NOOOO! MOM, DAD!

She charges the twins, Force-pushing them both into some trees. She stops at her dead parents, crying over them. The twins come back and pick her up in a Force-choke and kill her. She wakes up again in the cave. The cycle continues over and over and over. She and her family dying. Never really getting to see much of each other. It's an endless loop of her worst nightmare playing over and over again. Jacklinea wakes up in the cave. She rubs the back of her head where she was hit.

**Jacklinea: **I can't believe I let those two brats get me like that. They're going to pay for this.

She stands up. Eve is nowhere to be found. She starts toward the exit. A red lightsaber turns on just in front of her. At first she thinks she's looking at Jacob or Jordan but the twins don't have red lightsabers.

**Jacklinea: **Who are you?

The person pulls the beam up toward her, so the glow is on her face. She looks to be about nine years old. She has long black hair. Her skin is grey and her eyes have no color, like hers.

**Mikkah: **(mockingly) What's the matter, Sis? Don't you recognize me?

**Jacklinea:** (a bit confused) Am I supposed to?

**Mikkah:** You should. I'm your sister.

**Jacklinea: **(shocked and not believing.) No... That can't be... You died when I was four... I... I...

**Mikkah:** Let me get captured by the Sith.

**Jacklinea: **(starting to cry) No.. No they killed you. I saw them... I saw them kill you.

**Mikkah:** Then how do you explain me standing here?

**Jacklinea:** (screaming at the top of her lungs in anger, sadness and sorrow slowly fading into crying again.) I don't know!... I don't know, I don't know.

**Mikkah: **And you're never going to know - I'm here to kill you. My mission is to make sure you're dead.

Mikkah charges down the tunnel. She opens a second tonfa lightsaber hilt. She crosses her blades and lunges forward. Jacklinea opens her dark blue lightsaber. She blocks with the beam straight up, both hands on her saber hilt. Mikkah pulls her sabers down to the left, bringing sister's lightsaber with her. Mikkah flips over almost like she is doing a cartwheel with no hands. In mid-rotation, she twists her arms, flipping Jacklinea's lightsaber out of her hands. When she lands, she uses the Force to push Jacklinea on the ground. Jacklinea is now sobbing. Mikkah holds her right lightsaber to Jacklinea's neck.

**Jacklinea: **(backing away) Why are you doing this?

**Mikkah:** You left me with them Sith for all these years! You didn't come look for me, or anything!

**Jacklinea:** I didn't know you were alive! They told me everyone was dead! Please!

Mikkah cuts down Jacklinea. Jacklinea wakes up and continues to have the same types of illusions of her sister. Each time, either she or her sister is dying... sometimes even reliving the moment her sister died. Meanwhile the twins are standing over them, controlling their dreams, laughing as they watch the two girls thrash around in their sleep, unable to wake up. Suddenly the twins hear lightsabers open behind them. The twins slowly turn around. The cave is lit with the glow of two green lightsabers. Jordan opens a blue lightsaber and Jacob a green.

**Josh S.:** This is for your brother.

The twins rush Josh; Jacob on the left and Jordan on the right. Jordan swings hard from the right, like he is swinging a baseball bat and Jacob strikes straight down. Josh has his left beam straight down, blocking Jordan's strike. For Jacob, he blocks and pulls Jacob around and over with his lightsaber. Jordan spins around, burning Josh's shirt. Josh stabs Jacob's ankle with his left lightsaber. Josh kicks Jacob over, then spins toward Jordan, blocking his jab. Jacob gets up with a perfectly healed ankle. Josh burns Jordan's arm, then whips around with his left arm, knocking Jacob to the ground. Then he jerks his right arm to his left, taking Jordan's lightsaber with him. Then as he goes to take out the crystal, Jordan makes Josh think he is seeing his sister Brittany.

**Josh.: **Brittany?

"Brittany" uses the Force to blast Josh and Jacob tries to cut off his legs but Josh tucks his legs and backflips over the blade, landing on the other side.

**Josh S.: **Next time, I'm not falling for that.

Jordan fazes back into himself. Josh steps in and the twins both thrust there lightsabers forward and Josh knocks away both ways left and right pinning their lightsabers to the ground then he pulls his lightsabers up toward their chests. Jordan's crystal is accidentally vaporized by his lightsaber and Jacob falls to the ground. The twins both collapse and Josh picks up the crystals, shoving it into his pocket.

He takes the twins to his ship then searches though the cave to find Eve and Jacklinea lying on a rock bed that is glowing red. Josh touches the rock and he sees a flash of his family falling. He quickly pulls his hand away and uses the Force to pull them off the rocks. Instantly, the rocks turn back to normal. He carries them out to his ship, then takes off to get them back to the ship over Dantooine. 

Chapter Nine

Help

Josh flies them back to The Rebellion then gets a few crew members to come with him to get the four ships he left behind. Once Josh gets back to the Republic Cruiser he walks up to a few solders, grabs a few men and leaves and comes back with the ships. They land them in the hanger bay. Anthony is reading the Bible in his quarters. Andrew and Eve are waiting for Jacob and Jordan to wake up to tell them about their brother. Jacklinea, Jordin are going at it also. Cassandra is watching. Dudley is cleaning his blaster collection. Josh goes up to the bridge.

**Josh S.:** How is everything up here?

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** Everything seems to be quiet. No sign of the-

An alarm starts to go off.

**Admiral Carth Onasi: **What's going on?

**Ships Navigator:** Incoming ships from the northwest and the southeast.

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** How many? Can we fight them?

**Ships Navigator:** Not unless we can clone this artifact. There's fifteen from the northwest and thirty six from the southeast.

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** Cut straight though the middle and get us outta here!

**Josh S.:** Hold that order!

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** (as calmly as possible) Son, I don't care if you're a Jedi or not; there's no way for us to win! (Shouting) Get us outta here!

**Josh S.:** Don't you dare activate that hyperdrive! I have a feeling that they aren't here to fight us.

Ships start pouring out of hyperspace

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** A _feeling_? Son, you better be right, or we're dead men. It'll be on your head when we're in a heap of trouble.

**Josh S.:** Not that anyone would care, 'cause they're all evil. And like you said, we'd be dead.

**Sensor reader:** Sir, they're arming weapons!

**Communicator:** We are being hailed by the Venator and the Star Destroyer.

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** (shouting) Darn kid; you're gonna get us killed! Put it though!

Two different holographic images appear. One is Cede, an old Republic war hero who served in both the Mandalorian wars and the Jedi Civil wars. You can't see any skin cause of his armor and hood. The other is wearing a black robe with the hood up. He has a lightsaber on his belt and he is wearing a mask. The mask has a black line running across where the eyes should be. Under that is a trapezoid of red with a red line coming down to the bottom of the mask. To the left and right of that is black, then a curved red line, then black again.

**Admiral Cede:** Greetings, Admiral Carth Onasi. This is Admiral Cede of the Old Republic and we are here to assist you on your galactic conquest.

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** Boy, am I glad to see you. But I don't understand - how did you get out of Censes's hold?

**Admiral Cede:** Well, some young gun Jedi released us from his hold by taking out our leaders from the planet we were stationed at.

**Revan:** I see Shain was able to defeat you and bring you back to sanity, Sietsma.

**Josh:** I thought that was you, Revan. What do you want?

**Revan:** We are here to join your galactic conquest. We Sith don't much like it when the new sheriff turns everything dark and destroys everything that we strive for.

**Josh S.:** Haha. Welcome to the...

Carth interrupts

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** Mute.

Carth turns his back

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** What, are you crazy? You're going to let a _Sith _fleet join us? Not only that; they also outnumber us.

**Josh S.:** (respectfully, but firmly) Sir, I've known Revan for a few years now, and you can always tell when he's there to help or there to fight... and he's never stabbed us in the back before. I don't think he's about to start now.

Carth stands there with a dumbfounded look on his face.

**Josh S.:** Un-mute. Much as I hate to sound like Darth Vader, we would be honored if you would join us, Revan. Would you like to come aboard?

**Revan:** (smiling knowingly) I'm not sure your commanding Admiral would be pleased. And I would watch it if I were you; Vader just so happens to be on that super-star destroyer behind me.

**Josh S.:** No, but we're going to need to have a meeting with all the Admirals to appoint a fleet admiral. We'll meet at eighteen hundred hours, Dantooine time.

**Revan:** See you then.

Revan shuts down the com.

**Admiral Cede:** Boy, are you nuts? They out number us two-to-one, with four ships left over! And we're allowing them to join us?

**Josh S.:** Think of it this way: we say no, they start shooting, and we're goners, as well as everyone on Dantooine. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on my team.

Josh goes down to the medical bay. The twins are up and Eve is just waking up.

**Josh S.:** Eve, can you tell the twins about their brother?

**Jacob:** What? Who?

**Eve:** (reluctant and compassionate) Sure.

**Josh S.:** Thanks. I'm gonna run down and wake up Willie. We got a fleet outside and we're appointing a fleet Admiral to retake the galaxy.

Eve looks out the window.

**Eve:** Wow. You weren't kidding.

**Josh S.:** Alright, I'm gonna get Will.

Eve proceeds to tell the twins about their brother. Josh wakes up Willie and they go to the bridge. all the ships Captains and Admirals are all arguing over which ship to have the meeting on. Josh uses a Force move called Force Bellow, allowing him to make his voice really loud.

**Josh S.:** HEY! (the room and comlinks go dead silent) Everyone is going to go down to Dantooine's surface for the meeting, taking only a small one man fighter... and no weapons!

They talk it over and agree on Josh's plan. Everyone gets in their personal shuttles and flies down to the planet, including Josh and Willie. The meeting hasn't been in session very long and people have already started arguing.

**Josh S:** (to Willie) This is ridiculous. I can't believe this.

**Willie:** These guys are worse than Shain's brothers. It's like being at a redneck family reunion. Alls we're missing is the moon-shine, NASCAR and shot guns.

Josh starts to laugh.

**Josh S.:** That's funny. OK, we need to get this under control.

Josh whistles really loudly to get everyone's attention.

**Josh S.:** Listen up. Nothing is going to get done by sitting here, arguing about it. We have four months till "Doom's Day". We need to get our act together and continue this galactic conquest. We need to pick a Admiral and get a move on it. We don't have time for this.

Underneath his mask, Revan has a knowing look in his eye - he is already decided as to who the Admiral is.

**Revan:** I nominate Joshua Sietsma.

Everyone turns and looks at Revan. Josh is speechless.

**Admiral Cede:** You're gonna put a first-generation youngster in charge of this Fleet?

Jedi Master Plo Koon was on the planet when Shain first saved it and has been there for most of the meeting in the back, wearing a hooded cloak.

**Jedi Master Plo Koon:** I think the boy is perfect for this. He is very capable. He knows his soldiers' strong points, as well as their weak points, and knows how to use them well.

**Revan:** He also has connections on both sides.

**Admiral Cede:** Again, I say he is young.

**Jedi Master Plo Koon:** The boy is a Jedi Knight. He knows how to take advice... if that's what you're worried about, old timer.

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** They have a point. I've read Josh's records and he does have exceptional battle skills. I mean, the boy _has_ grown up with people like Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi... not to mention any other great general for any timeline there has ever been.

**Jedi Master Plo Koon:** Those in favor, say "aye".

They all shout "aye".

**Admiral Carth Onasi:** Apposed?... Then its settled. Congratulations, Sietsma; you're the new Fleet Admiral. What are your orders?

**Josh S.:** Uh.. Well, Revan, I need two of your ships out scouting for any more Sith that can be pulled into our fleet. Everyone else is attacking a planet. You are to go down to the planet and find the Jedi leader of the planet. Try and take his crystal off from him. Don't touch the crystal, otherwise it will take you over. If you're losing too many men, just shoot him down and take the crystal from his or her neck before the crystal gets a chance to heal the user. Do your best to keep them alive. Remember, they're still good guys on the inside. When you all get back to the ships, I will assign everyone a planet. Let's retake this galaxy!

The men all head back to their ships except for Plo Koon, Revan, Willie, and Josh.

**Willie:** Well... didn't see that coming.

**Josh S.:** Neither did I.

**Revan:** You and Shain have been running this show for a while now. You _should_ have seen it coming. Speaking of Shain, I haven't seen him since our battle on Alpheridies.

**Willie:** He left a few months back. He couldn't handle the pressure.

**Revan:** I see. I'm heading out.

Revan jumps in his ship and takes off.

**Jedi Master Plo Koon:** What would you have us do here on Dantooine?

**Josh S.:** Anyone with Battle Mediation, I would like to have spread out on the ships, along with one other Jedi to help with the fights. Anyone else left over can wait here until we get more ships in need of Jedi.

**Jedi Master Plo Koon:** I will notify the council here on Dantooine and start sending Jedi.

**Willie:** And Shain thought he was under pressure.

**Josh S.:** It's nothing I can't handle. Come on, let's get back to the Rebellion. 

Chapter Ten

Returning War... Hero?

Josh and Willie get back up to the ship. Willie goes to the training grounds and Josh goes to the bridge to give his orders. He is standing over the holo-star map when he hears a familiar voice.

**Shain:** So, I here there's a new Sheriff in town.

Josh looks up with a grin on his face. He turns around to see Shain standing in the doorway.

**Josh S.:** You better address me with a "Sir" after this, Private.

**Shain:** Oh-hoho! In charge for ten minutes and he's already got a big head.

Josh turns around grinning from ear to ear.

**Shain:** Remind me never to leave you in charge again.

The two start laughing.

**Shain:** So, what else have I missed?

Some of the smile disappears from Josh's face.

**Josh S.:** I'll tell ya later, bro.

**Shain:** Alright. Bring everyone down to the main hanger bay. Don't tell anyone I'm here.

**Josh S.:** Alright. See ya in ten minutes.

Shain whips around and heads for the hanger. Josh goes down to the cafeteria where everyone is getting something to eat.

**Josh S.:** Everyone is to report to the hanger immediately.

Everyone drops what they are doing and follows Josh. He walks them into the hanger and about fifty feet in he stops and turns around. He watches as Shain drops in behind the group. The group turns around, igniting their lightsabers. Shain has his hood over his face and is standing in the dark.

**Shain:** You guys wouldn't kill _me_, would ya?

**The group:** (some in excitement and others sound unsure.) Shain?

They turn off their lightsabers. Willie steps out of the crowed and punches Shain in the face, knocking him to the ground.

**Willie:** (pointing at Shain and yelling) How dare you show your face here after abandoning us! The Rymerises are gone because of you!

Shain is sitting on the floor in shock. Jacob jumps on Willie's back and Jordan is punching and kicking him. Ignoring the twins, Willie rolls Jacob off his back into Jordan and walks out. Shain's left eye is bruised.

**Shain:** Anybody else want a shot before we get back to work?

Dudley steps forward with his hand raised.

**Dudley:** Nah, I'm just kiddin'.

The group laughs uneasily. Andrew helps Shain to his feet and they help the twins up. As soon as the twins are up they hug their older brother.

**Jordan:** I missed you!

**Shain:** I missed you too, bro. If you two go look in my ship, you might find some cake and cookies from mom.

The twins make a mad dash for his ship.

**Eve:** Save some of that stuff for for the rest of us!

**Andrew:** I love your mom's cooking!

**Jacklinea:** (with an attitude) Why did you decide to come back?

**Shain:** Of course, right to the point as always. I came back for many reasons. One of them being I had two kids show up at my house and those two kids showed me that I didn't trust myself, my friends, my family, and most importantly, my God. I understand that I let you all down by leaving. I kept telling myself _I_ couldn't do this, when really I didn't believe God could do it. Then I look around, and here sit ten of them. He saved Andrew, Jacob and Jordan without my leadership. God's gonna do what He wants to do, whether He has got the leadership He wants or not. I may be back, but I don't want the responsibility of leading you guys restored to me, until I've earned it.

**Andrew:** You've been leadin' this team since you were nine years old. You deserve the spot.

**Shain:** Nooo way. Besides, Josh is fully capable of leading - look at the kid! He's a fleet admiral.

**Dudley:** That should be _my_ position. I know just as much about fighting as him, if not more.

**Eve:** (nudging Josh) Yeah, but Josh doesn't know how to slow down and take a breather.

**Josh S.:** Hey!

**Eve:** And Dudley, you don't know when to run and live another day. Josh will at least run after you talk him into it.

Dudley gives her a annoyed look.

**Anthony:** I'd say that's true.

**Josh S.:** Haha! Hey, you're all just jealous, 'cause you don't run on energizer bunny.

**Eve:** He's also got a big head.

**Shain:** And I don't?

**Jordin:** Well...

**Josh S.:** I don't believe you guys.

**Shain:** Don't worry; they don't hate you. They just want their leader back... which is _not_ going to happen.

**Anthony:** Oh-kay. We're just happy to have you back.

**Josh S.:** Alright, everyone; Shain and I have to talk about our fallen heroes

Everyone grabs the goodies and leaves.

**Shain:** Whoa, whoa, whoa! What was Will talkin' about? Where's DJ? He was here when I left.

**Josh S.:** (hesitant) DJ, um... DJ died, trying to save his sister.

Shain stands there for a moment, then sits on the platform of a republic gunship.

**Shain:** How long?

**Josh S.:** (frowning) Couple weeks.

**Shain:** (shaking his head) No... Where's Aria? Is she ok?

**Josh S.:** She went out in search of the Orb that brought back everyone and us here annd she also hates your guts...

**Shain:** Shoot... alright, I'll go talk to her.

**Josh S.:** You might want to fix things with Willie when you're done.

**Shain:** Yeah. How's my eye look?

**Josh S.:** Bruised and a little swollen.

**Shain:** Shoot... Oh, well. I'm goin' to go find Aria. Maybe she'll blacken the other one.

**Josh S.:** She'll probably break your nose.

**Shain:** Probably... Let everyone know I'll be back and to save me some cake.

**Josh S.:** Haha. Alright, bro, later

Shain jumps in his ship and flies to Yavin IV. 

Chapter Eleven

Healing Open Wounds

Shain lands and makes his way deep into the forest. After a while, he finds the temple. He has to use the Force to see for a while. He staggers around until finally he finds a opening in the top shining down on a white orb. Aria is just approaching the Orb after spending the last month searching temples.

**Aria:** Finally! The one thing that can bring DJ back. (she pauses, studying the sphere) Why isn't it glowing blue and floating, like Master Skywalker said it was when he found it?

**Shain:** Because the orb had charged over thousands of years. It's only been seven since it was last used. It doesn't have any power.

Aria whips around, furious at the sight of Shain.

**Aria:** You!

**Shain:** (walking closer) I'm very sorry about your brother.

**Aria: **(angrily) You could've saved him, if you'd stayed... pansy...

**Shain:** Hey! You would cave too, at sixteen years old, with the pressure of the entire galaxy on you! And you have no room to talk! You did the same thing I did, only you went searching for something you _knew_ wasn't going to work, 'cause you do more studyingthen_ any_ of us!

**Aria:** That's _it_, traitor! I'll give you a taste of what you did to my brother!

Aria grabs her wooden dolphin-carved hilts and extends the blades of her twin curved pink lightsabers. She charges Shain. Shain is having a hard time getting his new lightsaber off his belt. Finally, he gets his old one off his belt and blocks a two-handed swing with his Cyan lightsaber. Aria used the Force to push Shain as the lightsabers make contact. Shain flies though the air, landing on his back. He isn't down for a second before he is back on his feet. She thrusts forward with both arms stretched out. Shain steps to the side, spinning around the attack and elbowing her in the back. Aria yells in frustration.

**Shain:** I don't want to fight you, Aria.

**Aria:** (through clenched teeth) Save your breath, Purinton.

She swings her lightsabers at Shain's head, one from the left and one from the right. He leans back, dodging the strike. She hooks around with her right hand, then swipes up. Shain jumps and rotates in mid-air, parallel to the ground over left her lightsaber. Shain lands to her left side. He is still tucked in from the roll when Aria swipes down at his head with her left saber. In one motion, he flips his saber around to a backhand grip and puts the other hand down, standing on one hand. He somersaults forward as her blade strikes for his arm.

**Aria:** Will you just _hold still_?

Shain has his back to her. She thrusts forward. Shain spins the saber behind his back, knocking her saber from her hand. Next thing she knows, Shain is behind her. He grips her arms, restricting her movement. She tries to twist her second blade around to stab him, but he use the Force to wrench it from her grip, throwing it to the other side of the room.

**Shain:** Hannah, _this has to stop_!

**Aria:** (still struggling) NO!

**Shain:** (lets go... starts yelling) I'M SORRY, OK? _I don't know what I was thinking_! I...I.. (calming down but still practically yelling) I've just had so much pressure on me, from such a young age... I finally caved, 'cause it was multiplied by this Censes bull! I don't know what I'm doing. Everything is so stinking clouded. I'm scared right now, and I'm down to nothing but faith! I got nothin' left.

**Aria:** (Just as angry) You boys just don't_ care_, do you? Not even two seconds about someone other than yourself? You couldn't at least leave your crystal here?

**Shain:** I wasn't thinking right...

**Aria:** Do you _ever _think?

**Shain:** (takes a deep breath) Aria, neither of us are thinking straight right now. This isn't completely my fault and it's not yours, either. This is Censes' fault. Could I have left the healing crystal behind? Yes. You leaving to try to bring back your brother is no different then me leaving... I loved your brother like one of _my_ little brothers. I would've given my life for him. And that goes for the rest of the group too...

Aria just stands silently, breathing hard.

**Shain:** Our group is spending too much time fighting each other, and not helping and encouraging, like we used to before we were split up. We _have_ to stick together. We split up and start fighting each other, then we're nothin'. Unity is the only thing - aside from God's grace - that will let us win this fight. I'm sorry I wasn't there to save your brother. Just please forgive me.

**Aria: **(slowly) I can't. I can't forgive myself, either. (she looks him dead in the eyes) You don't understand what it's like to be under Censes' control... You're not off somewhere, mindlessly doing his bidding, like a droid. You _want_ to do it. I _wanted_ to kill DJ. I _have_ to fix it, Brandon. I _have_ to bring him back. (darkly) Even if that means killing Censes myself.

**Shain:** Hannah, in no way, shape or form is this your fault. Like you said, you had no control over your actions. And there's no way we're going to let you take Censes on your own. In fact, it's not a good idea for you to even see him. I've been working out what this final confrontation will look like...I think it'd be best if you were on the ground battle or in the skies... and it's too late for your brother now. The orb's power is dead and my crystal won't bring him back.

**Aria:** (coldly) I have to try. And why can't I face Censes? Are you afraid I'll turn and run?

**Shain:** (ignoring the first part) No, the complete opposite. I'm afraid you'll lose your cool. As you clearly saw, anger never wins.

**Aria:** (takes a deep breath as a new idea is born in her mind. She masks it by quickly looking up with a half-smile) You're a pansy.

**Shain:** (jaw drops, partly smiling) Really?

The two head for the entrance after picking up their lightsabers.

**Shain:** (with a big grin on his face) You!-

**Aria:** It doesn't matter what you say; you're still a pansy.

Shain sticks his tongue out at her.

**Aria:** And you've been the immaculate leader of the group for how long?

Shain laughs.

**Aria:** (shaking her head) So immature.

**Shain:** (solemnly) Well, actually, I'm not the leader any more.

**Aria:** (puzzled) Why?

**Shain:** I can't just leave and come back assuming I have command and everything is just fine. You and Willie prove it.

**Aria:** Willie?

**Shain:** Who else would blacken my eye?

**Aria:** (Thinks Josh and tosses her head) He can be such a jerk.

**Shain:** You just tried to kill me!

**Aria:** (shrugs, but grins) Hey, at least_ I_ get style points!

Shain looks over at her and gives her a look that says "haha, you have got to be kidding and I almost believe it" all at once.

**Aria:** (seriously) Fun aside, I _am_ sorry for that. _I'm_ the one who wasn't thinking. Forgive me?

**Shain:** Sure.

Finally they reach the ships.

**Shain:** See ya at the ship.

**Aria:** I'll be waiting.

Aria closes the top to her X-wing and takes off.

**Shain:** Oh, hohoho...

The two take off into space. Shain's Eta-2 _Actis_-class light interceptor blows Aria's X-wing away. When they land Josh is waiting in the hanger bay.

**Josh S.:** Tomorrow we are meeting up and I'm assigning everyone someone to save. You ready for tomorrow?

**Shain:** Nope, I need to fix everything with Willie as best I can.

**Josh S.:** Get to it and get to bed. Willie is up still, he's down in the training room trying to teach himself how to control sand again.

**Shain:** Alright, thanks. 'Night guys.

**Josh S. and Aria:** (in sync) 'Night.

The three head off their separate ways. Shain enters the deck. Willie can now control enough sand to create a lose whip. It is not quite as packed as it would be with full control, but it still works.

**Shain:** Willie, I'm sorry for leaving. I shouldn't have left

**Willie:** (angrily) No, you shouldn't have, and because you left, DJ is dead.

Aria walks in behind the boys, who aren't paying attention.

**Aria:** _I _forgave him, if that helps you, Willie. (The boys jump at the sound of her voice. She smirks) Scared you, did I?

**Shain:** Yes!

**Aria:** (seriously) It's like something a friend once told me - "We can't win if we're fighting each other". (she half-smiles at Shain) We have to get our act together, if we ever plan on giving Censes a taste of his own medicine. Let it go, Will. For your sake, as well as his.

**Willie:** I guess you're right. (turns to Shain) If she can forgive you, then so can I.

Willie gives Shain a high-five, then a brotherly hug. Shain goes for the door, walking backwards.

**Shain:** Alright, I'm goin' to bed. Stay strong, eat some tacos, and get some sleep.

**Aria:** (totally lost) I'm sorry?

**Willie:** (says loudly) And _fear the ghost pig_!

Shain laughs, turns and walks out of the room heading for bed.

**Aria:** (sighs) I'll never understand you two.

**Willie:** (shaking his head and speaking a little funny) I don't know, will we ever understand us? Psht, I don't think so.

**Aria:** (raises her eyebrows) _Right_. I'm going to bed. Goodnight, William.

**Willie:** See ya. (thinks for a moment) William? (He shakes his head and continues practicing) 

Chapter Twelve

Censes's Counter

Aria lies in bed for about an hour, awake, planning a secret attempt to kill Censes on her own. After her clock reads two in the morning, Dantooine time, she sneaks out to the hanger and takes off in her X-wing for Coruscant. But as soon as she comes out of hyperspace...

**Censes:** (echoing) Come to me.

**Aria:** NO!

Aria's eyes flash with the same kind of dark energy that emits from the shadow crystals. Her body tenses and she changes course for the Jedi temple. She lands in the temple hanger bay where Katy is waiting.

**Katy:** Welcome back.

Aria gives no reply, save for a glance of pure hatred. Katy escorts her to the former Jedi council room, where Censes is waiting.

**Censes:** Good! You have returned, just as I foresaw. Hmm. (slowly walking toward her) I know, deep inside of what's left of you, you are desperately fighting my control. But you can never break free.

Censes pulls out a Shadow Crystal from his pocket. Aria throws her hand up, as if to ward off a blow. Her eyes glimmer angrily, the only outward sign of the battle within her. For a moment, she has wrenched herself out of his control, but it cannot last.

**Aria:** Get away from me! (breathing hard) I hate you...

**Censes:** (with a smirk on his face) I _know_ you do.

Censes puts the crystal around her neck. She struggles for a moment, then relaxes as the power of the Shadow takes hold. Her eyes flash black for a moment.

**Censes:** Now, not only can you control animals, but you can shape shift into animals, objects, and people.

**Aria:** Thank you... my master. What is your will?

**Censes:** Shain and Anthony have come a long way from where they were four months ago They must not succeed in gathering the rest of your group together. You must go though some pain, though. They will find out where you went. We shall make it look as if you faced me and have been beaten.

**Katy:** What about her crystal? If she changes into a zillo beast or somethin', the crystal's string will break and fall off.

**Censes:** We can implant it somewhere. And we must make these wounds look real. (Censes turns off the healing ability of both her crystals) Open your lightsabers and attack me.

Aria opens her short, hot pink lightsabers as Censes activates his single black beam, holding it with both hands. Aria strikes with her right hand, then her left. Censes blocks both. She comes at him with a left stab and swings her right lightsaber in at his legs and up toward his chest. Censes blocks the left hand strike, pushing it to the right, then he brings his saber across the left side of her face and barely blocks her blow.

She cries out in pain. Censes pushes her right saber back and takes the offensive. He strikes down at her head. She defends with her sabers crossed above her head. He punches her in the stomach. She doubles over and he hits her in the face. She dives forward with her blades crossed, hoping to catch his legs. He jumps straight up over her and spins around in mid-air, coming down on Aria. She blocks with her sabers crossed.

**Censes:** Can't you do any better?

**Aria:** (mutters) Just watch me.

She shuts off one of her lightsabers and hits him in the head with the hilt. He steps back and Aria flips to her feet. Censes spins toward her, opening his second blade and running it across her stomach. She bends over, screaming. He kicks her in the face, knocking her over. He slashes both her upper legs and stabs her right arm. He shuts off his lightsabers. He takes the crystal and shoves it into her right arm. He heals himself of the one or two bruises she has inflicted.

**Censes:** You enjoy fighting me too much, young one. (He looks up at Katy, who looks like she is enjoying this.) Take her to her ship.

**Aria:** (trying to get to her feet) I can do it myself!

**Katy:** (scoffs) Good luck with that. His sabers are ten times worse then any regular saber.

Aria falls; Katy catches her. Aria stiffens and moans in pain.

The girls are almost to the door.

**Censes:** Aria.

**Aria:** Yes, master?

**Censes:** Before you reveal yourself to your friends, find your old crystal and stick it into your arm. Once you have, the wound will heal.

**Aria:** Yes, master.

Katy helps her to her ship. Aria flies back to the ship. It is still early in the morning and everyone is still asleep. She sneaks on the ship and into Shain's room where he has the crystals hanging on his wall on the other side of his bed. She sneaks over to his bed and grabs hers off the wall. Shain reaches up and grabs her arm.

She reaches for her lightsaber when she realizes he is still asleep. Slowly he loosens his grip and she sneaks back to her ship and takes off. She lands on Dantooine for the night. Before she sets up camp she shoves the other crystal into her arm. Censes senses her doing so and heals her arm from Coruscant. 

To Be Continued


End file.
